Betting game employing a cylindrical die and a game board

ABSTRACT

A betting game employing a game board and a cylindrical die with a plurality of flat surfaces, or faces, about its circumference that is spun like a top on a pointed bottom and allowed to spin until it falls to rest with a face upwardly directed that corresponds to a consequence indicated on the game board. Typically, a token is placed on a selective section of the game board that corresponds to a die face, typically by a same numeric designation. If the upwardly directed face corresponds to the section in which a token has been placed a payout is made. If a token placed bridging two adjacent sections, a payout of a lesser amount is also made. Two or more colors, but fewer colors than die faces, may be included on the die and game board. Thus, a bet can also be placed on which color will be found on the upwardly directed die face. A color bet is typically done by use of a same colored token or a token on a same colored section of the game board.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a board game and a method for playing a betting game employing a die. In particular the present invention relates to a game employing a cylindrical die having a pointed end on which the die spins and a board layout for betting on the outcome of a spin of the die.

2. Prior Art

Gambling, or betting, games based on the roll of a die are very common and as old as dice themselves. Most employ at least two dice with various levels of complication in the rules of play and pay-out of bets. Typical games contain complicated rules and may have complex playing boards. The popularity of multiple dice games may be waning due to the complexity of the games and the difficulty of new players to understand them. Players tend to enjoy simple games that they can quickly understand and know what their odds are. However, a game still needs to provide the excitement of multiple betting options and suspense during as well as before play of the dice along with simple rules easy to quickly understand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Such a game is obtained a betting game containing at least one die, a game board, and betting tokens. The playing board is provided with various betting areas on which the players place their wagers. The object of the game is for the player to correctly predict the outcome of the play of the die.

The betting game employs a cylindrical die with a plurality of flat surfaces, or faces, about its circumference. During play the die is spun like a top on a pointed bottom and allowed to spin until it tumbles to rest with a upwardly directed face that corresponds to a consequence indicated on the game board. Unlike a traditional die, use of the cylindrical die with flat surfaces about its circumference allows for more options than a traditional die of six surfaces. The number of surfaces can vary from two to many. Also, as the die is not thrown but rather is spun on a pointed end as a top, the players watch with anticipation and anxiety as the die spins similar to a roulette machine, but without the complexity of a roulette machine. Betting can continue through the spin of the die, again adding more interest to the game. Further, as the die begins to wobble before falling, the die is covered so it can no longer be seen. This gives the players an opportunity to complete their betting and the dealer or spinning player to hide the die which avoids very late betting during the spin and disputes about times of allowed betting. Further betting can continue even after the die has fallen as long as it remains covered.

The unique die with its spin that allows betting to occur while the die is spinning adds anticipation and increased thrill to a game based on the result of the spin as several seconds pass while players watch the die spin. Anxiety increases as players make or change bets during the play, or spin, of the die. Because the play of the die is controlled within the dish so it can be covered, betting can continue even after the die has tumbled to rest under the cover and before the cover is removed to disclose the tumbled die.

The die has a cylindrical rod as a handle radially smaller than the die body that has flat surfaces with the numeric and color correspondences with the game board. The handle extends axially upward from the die body to facilitate imparting a spin to the die, typically between fingers of the user. Advantageously, the die may be spun in an upward directed dish with a continuously concave surface so the die remains in the center of the dish as it spins.

The game board has betting sections that represent the results obtainable from the spin of the die. Players place bets in respective game board sections before or during the spin of the die that corresponds to a die flat surface, typically by a same numeric designation although equivalently any graphic or symbol may be used as the value of a number is not employed. Only a correspondence between the die faces and the game board betting sections is required. If the upwardly directed surface corresponds to the section in which a token has been placed a payout is made. If a token placed bridging two adjacent sections, a payout of a lesser amount is also made, typically half. Two or more colors, but fewer colors than die flat surfaces, or faces, may be included on the die and game board. Thus, a bet can also be placed on which color will be found on the upwardly directed die surface. A color bet is typically done by use of a same colored token or a token on a same colored section of the game board. Different players typically use different tokens, identified uniquely to each player, such as a different color on a portion of the token, or other symbol or graphic representation.

The betting sections on the game board correspond to possible outcomes of the play of the die. The player wins the bet if the die corresponds to the player's bet on the game board. In the preferred embodiment, the game board also indicates the payoffs for each play of the die. Thus, before a player places a bet, the player may easily observe what the payoff will be if the bet is successful without any prior knowledge of the game. Combinations of color and betting zones may be used to introduce more excitement and betting complexity into the game. This is done by including multiple colors on the die in addition to simple (e.g., numeric) correspondence between the die faces and betting sections on the game board. Typically two colors are employed, such as red and black, on die faces. The players may have tokens of the same color or tokens with one color on one side and the other color on the other side. For example, a token placed on a betting zone with the red side up would indicate a bet on the number displayed in the zone in combination with a bet on the color showing on the die, regardless of the number. A token placed without a color would indicate indifference to the color showing on the die. And placing a token of a chosen color on the board but not on a numbered zone would indicate a bet on the color shown on the upward facing surface of the die with a suitable payout without regard to the number showing on the die.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a typical playing board representative of its function, though clearly other similar playing boards would suffice and thus are deemed included in the invention.

FIG. 2 is front perspective view of a spin die for use in playing the game.

FIG. 3 is back perspective view of the spin die of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a token, with different hatching representative of different colors of die upper and lower surfaces shown. For these purposes, color is deemed to represent coordination of identifying token surfaces with identifying indicators on the die surfaces other than the numerical representations. Any other method of coordination, such as surface designs, is deemed equivalent to color and deemed included in the invention.

FIG. 5 shows the typical playing board of FIG. 1 with tokens of FIG. 4 placed in various locations as bets on the playing board together with a fallen die with an upward showing surface being the surface for determining payout of bets placed on the playing board, successful bets matching the upward showing die surface.

FIG. 6 shows a spinning die in a bowl with a cover prepared to cover the die when it begins to wobble.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The betting game of the present invention employs at least one die 10 with a plurality of flat surfaces, or faces, 12, a random one of which 14 is upward directed when the die 10 tumbles to rest on a playing surface. The die 10 comprises a cylindrical body 16 with a central axis 18 with a point 20 on its bottom end 22 on the central axis 18 extending downward axially from the cylindrical body 16 on which point 20 the die 10 spins on a spin surface during play much as a toy top. The plurality of faces 12 are located on the die body 16 about its circumference, each with a different identifier 24, typically a numeric designation but equivalently any symbol would suffice. The die 10 typically but not necessarily has six faces 12, with each of the faces having identifier 12, typically numerical representations ranging in number from 1 to 6 for a die with six faces. Use of other symbols or graphic representations may be employed to give a theme or character to the game.

To impart spin to the die body 16 a rod 26 extends upward axially from a top 28 of the die body 16 as a spin surface such that as the rod 26 is spun, the body 16 likewise spins. The rod 26 facilitates spinning of the die 10 on its point 20 by rolling the rod 26 between a user's fingers or hands. The die 10 is then left to spin until it slows and is unable to maintain its spin and falls to rest on a playing surface. When the die 10 tumbles to rest, a single face 14 is upward directed as an indicator that directs a consequence to the game. A plurality of colors 28, 28′ may also be provided on the flat faces fewer than the number of die faces. This adds another dimension to the result of play of the die. That is, a bet or other consequence could depend on the color of the upward directed surface alone or in combination with the symbol, such as a numeric, designation.

Advantageously, the die 10 is spun on a die dish 30 that has a continuously concave surface 32 upwardly directed so the spinning die 10 is centered in a dish center 34, which limits movement of the die to a small dish area.

In the instant game, the upward directed die face indicates the success or failure of a bet made during play. During play of the game at least one player makes a bet before or during play of the die, that is, before or while the die is spinning, but before the die comes to rest, whereupon the player or players receive a payout if the upward directed surface determined when the die tumbles to rest is correctly predicted. To avoid conflict about the timing of a bet, that is, whether a player waited too long until the die was about to tumble and therefore obtain an advantage in his bet, the die is covered when the die begins to wobble prior to tumbling to rest. Thus, a nontransparent dish cover 34 is provided to cover the spinning die 10 in the dish, the cover 34 being sized large enough to not impede the spinning of the die 10. The die 10 then tumbles to rest only while it is covered by the dish cover 34. Multiple dice can be employed as appropriate to the game in which the die is used.

Although the die can be employed in a number of games, an example of a game is described following. A game board 40 is provided that includes a plurality of betting sections 42. Each betting section 42 corresponds to a die face 12, either by corresponding symbol, e.g., numeric, designations, or by color or both. A plurality of colors may be used but typically two colors are used on the die flat surfaces, half of one color and half of the other color, and corresponding colors are included in the game board, either as a separate betting section or in combination with numerically designated betting sections. The game board 40 may also include an area 42 in which the dish 30 is located, typically central in the game board 40.

Betting tokens 44 with upper and lower surfaces 44′, 44″ are used to indicate a choice of a bet. During play of the game at least one player makes a bet by placing at least one token 44 on a selective betting section 42 before and/or during play of the die but before the die comes to rest. For each respective token 44 placed to indicate a bet, the player or players receive a payout for if a section on which the player or players placed a token corresponds to the upward directed face 14 of the die 10 after it has come to rest. To provide for additional betting options, each betting section 42 is adjacent to another betting section so at least one token 44 may be placed for a bet bridging between adjacent sections, in which case the betting player receives a payout if the upward directed die face 14 corresponds to either of the betting sections bridged by a token, though at a lower amount than either section alone, typically half. The amount paid out as a multiple of the token or tokens placed as a bet on the game board is displayed on or with the game board so players can easily know the results of a successful bet in each section or combination of sections.

During play then, a player or players place bets on the game board 40 by placing one or more tokens 44 on a betting section 42 or between sections, either indicating a numeric selection or a color selection or both. Payout multiples for each token bet are displayed on the board for each respective betting option so the player can easily a possible return on a bet. A player or a dealer then spins the die 10 in the die dish 30. Clearly, two persons may spin two dice, or as many dice as may be employed with the game board, each with a spin dish. As the die spins, players may add, subtract or change their bets through placement of their tokens. Multiple players typically will tokens with a separate identifier for each player, such as a color on a corner of the token different from the colors on the die. In this way, the dealer can know which player won or lost a bet. As the die 10 begins to wobble as it slows down, the spinning player covers the wobbling die with dish cover 30 without touching the spinning die and allows the die 10 to tumble to rest under the dish cover 30. Betting may continue until all bets are completed. The dish cover 30 is then removed, again without touching the die, to disclose the result of the spin. Payout then follows to those players successfully predicting the result of the spin as indicated by the upwardly directed flat surface of the die. Tokens are collected by the dealer for unsuccessful bets. 

1. A betting game, comprising: at least one die with a plurality of flat surfaces, or faces, a random one of which is upward directed when the die rests still on a playing surface, a game board including a plurality of betting sections, each corresponding to a die flat surface, and betting tokens, wherein during play of the game at least one player makes a bet by placing at least one token on a selective betting section before or during play of the die but before the die comes to rest, whereupon said at least one player receives a payout if a section on which said at least one player placed a token corresponds to the upward directed face of the die after it has come to rest.
 2. A die for a game, comprising: a cylindrical body with a central axis and having a plurality of flat surfaces, or faces, about its circumference, each with a different identifier, a bottom end with a point on the central axis extending downward axially from the cylindrical body on which the die is spun with the point on a playing surface and the die body spinning, a spin surface associated with the body such that as the surface is spun, the body likewise spins such that as part of game play a spin is imparted to the die, which is then left to spin until it slows until it is unable to maintain its spin and falls to rest on the playing surface with a single face directed upward as an indicator that directs a consequence to the game.
 3. The die of claim 2 wherein the spin surface comprises a rod extending upward axially from a top of the die body.
 4. The betting game of claim 1 wherein said at least one die comprises at least one die of claim
 2. 5. The betting game of claim 4 wherein the spin surface comprises a rod extending axially upward from a cylindrical top facilitating spinning of the die on its point by rolling the rod between a user's fingers or hands.
 6. The betting game of claim 4 further comprising a die dish having a continuously concave upwardly directed surface that centers a spinning die in a dish center.
 7. The betting game of claim 6 wherein said dish is incorporated into the game board.
 8. The betting game of claim 6 further comprising a dish cover sized to cover a spinning die in the dish.
 9. The betting game of claim 4 wherein said correspondence between die flat surfaces and betting sections comprises numeric designations.
 10. The betting game of claim 9 further comprising in addition to the numeric designation a color correspondence between betting tokens and colors on die flat surfaces.
 11. The betting game of claim 9 further comprising in addition to the numeric designations a color correspondence between die flat surfaces and game board betting sections.
 12. The betting game of claim 11 wherein a plurality of colors on the flat surfaces number less than a number of said die faces.
 13. The betting game of claim 12 wherein said plurality of colors comprises two colors on the die faces, half of one color and half of the other color.
 14. The betting game of claim 4 wherein a player receives a payout if said upward directed die face corresponds to a game board section on which said player's token is placed.
 15. The betting game of claim 1 wherein each betting section is adjacent to another section and wherein at least one token may be placed for a bet bridging between adjacent sections and wherein said at least one player receives a payout if the upward directed die surface corresponds to either of betting sections bridged by a token.
 16. The betting game of claim 6, the game board including a central area in which is located the dish
 17. A method of playing a betting game having a dealer and a player comprising the following steps: a. Providing a cylindrical die with an axis and having a plurality of flat faces axially symmetric circumferentially about the body axis, and further having a bottom with a point on which the die spins and further have a rod extending axially from a body top for imparting a spin to the die, each face having a unique indicator; b. Providing a game board with betting sections that uniquely correspond to indicators of the die faces; c. Selectively placing player tokens on game board betting sections as a bet or bets; d. Spinning the die, allowing the die to tumble to rest; e. Paying players who successfully predicted the spin of the die, as indicated by an upward directed die face when the die has tumbled to rest; f. Collecting tokens from the game board that did not correctly predict the spin of the die.
 18. The method of claim 17 further including the steps of covering the die with a dish cover when the die begins to wobble, allowing the die to tumble to rest under the dish cover, therein concealing the die, while allowing bets or change of bets to continue while the dish cover covers the die and then removing the dish cover to disclose the result of the spin of the die.
 19. The method of claim 17 further including the step of providing multiple dice each spun by a different person, each contributing to determining payout of successful bets. 